File photo: Kaspersky office
Supreme
Leader Kim Jong Un's North Korea has been accused of engaging in global
internet fraud to source for funds in financing its nuclear programme.
North Korea’s hacking operations has expanded to more countries
including Nigeria, a report by Russian cyber security firm, Kaspersky
has claimed.
The cyber security firm said hackers backed by North Korea were
targeting financial institutions in 18 countries, including Nigeria.
According to a report on the hacking claims by CNN, two
international security experts believe North Korea is likely spending
the stolen funds on its nuclear weapons programme.
“Banks and security researchers have previously identified four
similar cyber-heists attempted on financial institutions in Bangladesh,
Ecuador, the Philippines and Vietnam,” it read in part.
“But researchers at Kaspersky now say the same hacking
operation — known as “Lazarus” — also attacked financial institutions in
Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia,
Nigeria, Poland, Taiwan, Thailand, and Uruguay.”
Hackers were traced to North Korea after Kaspersky detected a
mistake, and a hacker from a group operation known as “Lazarus”
connected from North Korea, the United Press International also reported
on Tuesday.
According to the report, the hackers had previously routed their
attacks from computer services in France, South Korea and Taiwan, a move
which made it difficult for security experts to identify the origin of
the breaches.
It added that Lazarus began to focus on banks late 2015, just
before North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test then began to
test-launch dozens of ballistic missiles in 2016.
Source: Punch
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